Page 45 of Thorns of Desire

My phone buzzed and I picked it up to see it was a message from a supplier, confirming another delivery went smoothly. Putting it on silent, I turned my attention to my nephew.

“The Triads are after Atticus’s ex-mistress and his illegitimate daughter.”

He frowned. “Nicki Popova?”

I shook my head.

“No, the illegitimate one. It turns out you were right, she does exist.” And she was right in front of our noses.

“What do they want with her?”

I shook my head. “My guess is to use her against Atticus for screwing them over twenty-three years ago.” Although, Athena’s comment about the Triads demanding information on something Alexandra took from them kept nagging at me.

“That’s quite the grudge.”

“It is,” I agreed. I still believed I was missing part of the story, but I didn’t know what. “Ghost has tracked down some information that you’ll find interesting.”

His brows furrowed. “He hasn’t sent me anything.”

I let out a sardonic breath. “Because I asked for it and he was getting me information on a certain woman.”

His lips twitched. “A woman?”

I sighed. “Don’t start with me,nipote.”

He put his hands up in surrender. “I wasn’t going to.” I knew he wouldn’t be able to resist. “Does it have something to do with Isla’s friend Athena?” I pinched the bridge of my nose. “By the way, I hear she’s even younger than Isla.”

“Vaffanculo.” I pounded my fist on the table. “I’m not in the mood.”

He grinned. “Neither was I. Remember?”

Karma was a bitch.

“Cazzo,it was more fun when it was about you,” I retorted dryly.

“I bet. Just like it’s more fun for me now.” He laughed when I crossed my arms over my chest. “So, are you going to explain to me how Athena is connected to the Triads and Atticus?”

A heartbeat passed. Tense and ominous.

“She’s Atticus’s illegitimate daughter.”

He sat up straight. “You’re shitting me.”

“I wish.”

“It has to be a mistake.”

I shook my head. “It’s not. Remember the opera singer I told you I datedbriefly, years back?”

“Vaguely. Wasn’t she a fraud? She had a kid singing off-stage while she lip-synced.”

“Something like that. Turns out she was attacked by the Triads the night before her performance, which is why she couldn’t sing. Alexandra was Atticus’s mistress, and Athena is their daughter.”

“Get the fuck out. You’re kidding me.”

I tapped my fingers on my desk. “You see me laughing?”

“How would Lykos Costello know about any of this?”